Tramadol abuse: Oyo Assembly calls for overhaul of primary health centres

THE Oyo State House of Assembly has called on the state government to carry out an overhaul of Primary Health Centres and increase public sensitisation with a view to curbing the tendency for people to self-medicate and abuse drugs.

The Assembly’s prayer followed concerns on the continued abuse of tramadol, codeine and other drugs without prescription by a medical practitioner, especially by youths, in a motion by Honourable Gbenga Oyekola titled, “A Call on the Public to Avoid Self Medication, Drug Abuse and Desist from Taking Drugs without Prescription.”

Oyekola, had in the motion, decried uneven access to medical service in government and private health institutions, thereby pushing the people to seek alternative avenues.

In particular, he lamented the abuse of tramadol and other analgesics meant to be a pain reliever, now being taken at will as “quick action.”

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Oyekola linked criminality perpetrated in the society to the fact that many youths carried out such criminal acts under the influence of hard drugs while advising both public and private health institutions to be very cautious in prescribing tramadol, codeine and other similar drugs to patients.

Contributing to the discourse, Honourable Bolanle Agbaje of Ibadan North 1, called for legislation banning public hawking of drugs and a limit the drugs sold in patent stores.

Similarly, Honourable Fatai Adesina representing Ibadan South East 1, called for legislation to stop the purchase of over the counter drugs.

Speaker of the Assembly, Honourable Olagunju Ojo, in his remarks, charged the general public to avoid self-medication while urging the relevant enforcement agencies to curtail over the counter drug sales.

Furthermore, Ojo urged the government to increase sensitisation of the public, and ensure that only approved patent stores are allowed to sell drugs.

This is as he urged the government to ensure that primary health centres across the state are made effective to restrict the purchase of tramadol.